How to Measure & Replace a Broken Drawer

Remove the drawer and use the screwdriver to remove the sliding panels that run down the sides of the drawer. In addition, remove the drawer's front panel using the nipper to pull out the nails holding it in place. Put it aside, unless this is the broken part of the drawer. Examine the drawer to determine where the nails are hammered in place. The new drawer must be assembled in the same manner to get the same fit for its existing frame.

Use the nipper to pull out all nails holding the drawer frame together. Remove the nails attaching the side panels to the end panel, as well as all nails holding the U-shaped frame to the bottom panel. Discard all the nails, but save all of the drawer panels. The drawer panels include the two side panels, the back-end panel and the bottom panel.

Lay the plywood sheet down and place all of the drawer panels on the sheet. Hold the panel you are replacing as you trace a line around it to get the exact measurements. The required measurements are the height, the length and the width of the drawer. The front face panel is often higher and longer than the drawer frame to hide the sliding tracks. Use the ruler to make the lines even. Repeat this step for all the panels you are replacing. If the front panel is the only broken piece, trace a new front face panel using the length and height of existing drawer front. Cut the new pieces with the table saw. Use sandpaper to sand the edges and sides.

Assemble the plywood panels in the same manner as the original drawer using the hammer and 1-inch nails. Place the end-panel in between the side panels. It is important to replace the panels correctly, so the drawer fits into the dresser or cabinet unit.

Reattach the drawer's front face panel to the U-shaped drawer frame using the hammer. Use the existing nail holes from the original drawer nails to reattach the front, so the nails reach into the side and bottom panels.

Reinstall the drawer into the drawer unit or dresser by inserting the sliding track into the existing base tracks already installed in the unit. The drawer slides into the tracks by holding the drawer on an angle and adding slight pressure before pushing the drawer into the track.